Claims

If you enter your property and notice anything out of place, leave immediately as the intruders may still be inside. Rather leave the premises and call the police from your cellphone, or from a neighbour’s home. In addition:

• Don’t clean up or move anything until the police have had a chance to inspect the scene, or you could be damaging vital evidence. The police will want to take a statement from you, as well as photographs and fingerprints.
• The police will also give you a case number. Keep this safe as you’ll need it for your insurance claim.
• If your bank or credit cards have been stolen, call the bank’s emergency number and have them stopped. These services are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so don’t delay. If any important documents are missing, such as your passport, report that to the police.
• Check your home for damage and make a list of all the items that were stolen before you contact your insurer. If possible include items’ model and serial numbers, how much you paid for them, as well as any purchase receipts, instruction manuals or photographs you may have. The more detail you provide, the more helpful the information will be to assist us in dealing with your claim quickly and efficiently.

Important: Make sure that you report your claim within 30 days of the incident, and have your policy number handy when you call to submit your claim. If you had previously prepared for the possibility of a loss by videotaping or photographing your possessions and filling out an Inventory Form, have this information available for the assessment.

What to do if your geyser bursts:

Burst pipes and geysers and the resulting water damage are common household emergencies. Here’s what you should do if it happens to you:

• The first thing to do is switch off the geyser isolator switches on your main electrical distribution board. If in doubt, switch off your main electricity supply.
• Then turn off the water at the geyser inlet valve to minimise further water damage to ceilings, walls, carpeting and furniture. If your geyser is inaccessible, or you are not sure where the valve is located, (or if you have a burst pipe) turn off your water at the mains.
• Once the water and electricity have been switched off, open up all the hot taps – your bath, basins, shower, kitchen, etc. This will drain out some of the hot water from the geyser, but its main purpose is to release the pressure in the geyser cylinder thereby making it leak less.
• If you have switched off the main water supply to the whole house, you can also open up all the cold taps, as this will sometimes drain all the hot water from the geyser instead of it leaking onto your ceiling.

What to do if you have storm, hail or flood damage:

One thing we have no control over is the weather. While we are relatively lucky in South Africa, we do occasionally have bad weather spells that can result in serious damage to property. If your home is damaged by storm, hail or flood, make sure you do the following:

• In the event of a flood, dry up as much water as possible to minimise further damage (items like carpets and curtains can be saved if drying takes place promptly). Remove furniture and household contents from wet areas.
• If the flood is due to a burst water pipe, turn off the main water supply.
• If your home has been damaged during a storm (for example if a tree has fallen on the roof), or you have damage caused by hail, evaluate the damage so that you can describe it clearly to your insurer. In need, board up any broken windows or doors.

What to do if there is a fire:

One thing we have no control over is the weather. While we are relatively lucky in South Africa, we do occasionally have bad weather spells that can result in serious damage to property. If your home is damaged by storm, hail or flood, make sure you do the following:

• In the event of a flood, dry up as much water as possible to minimise further damage (items like carpets and curtains can be saved if drying takes place promptly). Remove furniture and household contents from wet areas.
• If the flood is due to a burst water pipe, turn off the main water supply.
• If your home has been damaged during a storm (for example if a tree has fallen on the roof), or you have damage caused by hail, evaluate the damage so that you can describe it clearly to your insurer. In need, board up any broken windows or doors.